Aesop stares blankly out of the tinted glass, the rain tapping against the cool surface. The dark cloudy skies overshadowing the once bright meadows. He watches as raindrops race down the window, shattering as they hit the windowsill.
It's been weeks. Weeks since that treacherous night. Weeks since his village burnt down. Weeks since he last saw his pack. Weeks since he last saw the alpha who used him.
Weeks since the little pup started growing in his belly.
He remembers the day he knew of his pregnancy. Morning after morning he'd keep on vomiting. He'd grow paler and paler as the days go by. He thought he was dying, perhaps poisoned. But something in him told him that that wasn't it. A though of maybe just maybe, it was something else. Then on that day, he realized. Could it be?
The omega that would come to take care of him later on confirmed his suspicions. He was with another. A living being is growing inside of him.
A surge of fear and anxiety came over him as his eyes welled up with tears. He can't possibly be pregnant. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to raise a pup. He was scared. But deep inside him, he knew that even through all this. This was his child and he was going to raise them and care for them like any other parent and give them the life they deserve.
That day he begged the other to keep it a secret. If anyone were to tell the alpha of his pregnancy it would be himself.
He gently caressed the little lump, the warmth of his hand seeping through the thin material of the nightgown. He hums a little lullaby, one Violetta always sang to him as a pup. The soothing melody filling the large bedroom, the melody filled with nostalgia and melancholy.
He raises his other hand to touch at the large bite mark that scarred his neck. He remembers the searing pain as the sharp teeth sank into his skin. The feeling of immense pain mixed with painful helplessness as he lied in his blood and slick. The omega in him howled begging to bite back, sealing the mating bond, yet he couldn't. Not like this. Not when his heart ached.
Yet through it all, he still yearned for him. He still yearns for his alpha.
Every day he'd wait by the large birch door, waiting for the familiar silver-haired male to walk through. He remembers waking up to the large room. Mind still dazed as he peels the silk covers off of his body. No trace of the scent of citrus and sandalwood. He awaits that morning, emotions all mixed up and his heart heavy. All he wants is just to talk to him. Settle things down. And yet he didn't show up. He never did. And slowly Aesop's patience begins to waver.
A knock on the door interrupts the calm silence.
"Come in."
A young omega with curly red hair enters the room. A silver tray with some soup and bread balanced perfectly on one hand. A bright smile on his face.
"Aesop, I brought you breakfast!"
Aesop says nothing as he watches the latter place the food onto the birch desk at the corner of the room. The young omega takes a seat next to him, a gentle smile across his face as he eyes Aesop's belly.
"May I?"
Aesop nods with a small smile as the other omega places his hand on his belly, gently rubbing small circles.
"How are they?"
"They're fine," Aesop says with a small smile.
"No complications?"
"None."
Placing his hand over the latter's, he lets out a sigh as he turns his gaze to stare into the bright blue eyes.
"Where is he, Mike?"
Mike just shakes his head with a disappointed sigh.
"I don't know... Please, just wait a little bit more okay? He'll come around soon."
Aesop just stares down at the small bump in his belly, tears of frustration starting to spring in his eyes.
"I don't know how much longer can I wait," he whispers.
Mike could only place a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Please, Aesop. Just wait a little while longer."
With a small smile, Mike stands up from the bed and takes his leave. Leaving Aesop alone once again. It hurts. The loneliness hurts. He wants his family. He wants to get out of here.
He stares out the window, the dark clouds long gone and the sun now shining in the bright blue sky. With determination in his eyes, he unlatches the window and stares down the 3-floor drop. He'll get out of here.
Aesop looks for any way he could land safely, there are two ledges he could step onto however, both are too far to be reached by lowering himself. He'll need to make a rope somehow.
Aesop rummages the large closet hoping to find something strong enough to support his weight. The rows and rows of silk nightgowns are not an ideal choice, the material is way too thin. He digs deeper inside the closet, blindly reaching through the soft nightgowns. His hand hits something soft yet slightly thicker, using his other hand to move away the articles of clothing he reveals the stacks of clean, white bedsheets. Aesop drags the stack out of the closet, about six large bedsheets. He tests the material, stretching the soft silk sheets. No rips. Aesop smiles in satisfaction. This might work!
The rest of the day Aesop spent inside his room, tying the sheets together. Hiding the piles of cloth under the bed every time Mike entered the room to give him food and going back to work once he's left. He barely felt the time passing and by the sun starts to set, his rope is done. The rope made of silk sheets with their ends is tied tightly and strengthened by strips of silk he tore off the nightgowns. This should be strong enough.
Aesop watches as the darkness begins to bleed into the orange skies, the sun barely is seen past the horizon as the moon takes its place. It is time. Aesop takes the tied up sheets he hid beneath the bed and throws them out the window. He watches as the long, thin sheets drop down landing with a silent thump against the grass below.
He tightly ties the remaining sheets onto the bedpost and gives it a strong tug to test its strength. Once confident he carefully climbs over the windowsill being mindful of his pregnant abdomen as he clutches onto the silk sheets. A sigh of relief escapes his lips as the sheets held him up perfectly and so begins his descent down.
The cold winds of the night crash against his body sending shivers down his spine, the cold freezing his fingertips making his grip falter. Aesop digs his fingers deeper into the material hoping to shield them from the cold as he descends half-way down. Reaching what seemed like the 2nd floor of the manor, he hears a loud rip echoing through the night. The sheets he held on to weakened as he started to plummet.
Aesop flails, hands desperately trying to find something to grip onto. A loud smack shatters the silence of the night followed by a whimper that escaped his lips as his right elbow slams against the windowsill. The bone surely fractured by the momentum. With his other hand, he bites back the pain and pulls himself up onto the windowsill. He clutches his elbow, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes as the searing pain spreads out through his entire arm. However, he knows he cant waste any time on his petty injury. He must get out of here quickly. Aesop looks around for a way down the windowsill and spots a small ledge beneath the windowsill, the ledge a reachable distance from the ground. If he can reach there he'll be out of here. He gently lowers himself with his left hand, fingers digging into the stone of the windowsill as his feet touch the ledge. Jumping down, he lands onto the soft grass stumbling as he runs off into the direction of the town.
Aesop runs through the town shrouded by the darkness of the night, his legs burn but he can't rest in the open. He runs towards a familiar building, the familiar dark exterior of the tavern coming into view. He knocks at the doors, hoping for the familiar beta to open the doors. No answer. Is she not home?
The burning pain in his legs and the numbing ache of his elbow begs for him to rest, his body screams for him to rest. He turns to the alleyway next to the tavern taking refuge next to the garbage bins. He throws his head back against the brick wall and lets out a long sigh as he looks up towards the stars a hand caressing the little pup in his belly. The stars are shining so brightly tonight. Aesop hopes dearly in his heart that the rest of his pack are staring at the same starry sky, wherever they may be. Sending the silent wish to the stars, he closes his eyes and drifts off to a dreamless sleep.
A woman walks out of the Dyer Clinic, the cold morning fog engulfing her figure making her shiver. She feels at the bandage around her neck, the satin material uncomfortable yet she knows she's beyond glad to have the material wrapped around her neck rather than being buried six feet under. However, it's so unfashionable. With a silent sigh, she walks back home.
Demi takes her keys out to open the doors when a subtle snore breaks the silence making her jump. Hesitantly, she looks over to the alleyway to smell the familiar scent of yellow roses and cinnamon. Demi's eyes widen at the sight of the omega by the pile of trash only covered by a thin nightgown. She immediately rushes to his side, gently shaking him awake.
Aesop blinks awake, familiar green eyes staring into his with concern.
"Demi?"
The woman vigorously nods, a bright smile across her face. She gently wraps an arm around his shoulders helping him up. Aesop thanks her, wincing in pain as she bumps his right elbow. Demi immediately trains her eyes onto the broken elbow, concern in her green eyes.
"It's broken," Aesop sighs covering his elbow with his other arm.
Demi immediately tugs his good arm and drags him.
"Where are we going?" Aesop speaks out as he catches up to her.
Demi looks at him rolling her eyes as if he was an idiot. She gives a pointed look to his elbow, at which Aesop catches on and blushes in embarrassment. Demi sighs as she pulls him towards the direction she came from.
The duo arrives at the clinic, Demi opening the door revealing a young man at the counter, which Aesop recognizes from the market. The omega selling jewelry and gems. He stood by the desk at the reception dressed in a white dress shirt and dark pants his black hair left messy as he fumbles with a weird circular object, a refreshing apple and mint scent surrounding him. At the sound of the door opening, he turns his attention to the door. Obsidian eyes trained onto the two guests.
"How can I help you?" He says with a welcoming grin.
Demi gives a pointed look to Aesop who clothes his elbow. The other omega trains his eyes onto his injury and a slight worry washes over his expression as he excuses himself and he hurries into a hallway. Seconds later he reappears with Emily dressed in a white coat over a plain blue blouse and white skirt behind him, her hands gripping onto a clipboard. Her brown eyes widening in recognition.
"Aesop! A surprise seeing you here. This way please."
Emily leads them to a room by the reception, the familiar scent of antiseptic and chemicals reminding him of the first time he was here. Emily gestures him to lie on the bed, Demi taking a seat at his bedside.
"Do you mind taking off your nightgown?"
Aesop shakes his head as he slips off the thin material. Shocked gasps immediately fill the room as he could feel eyes staring at the evident bump on his stomach.
"How many weeks?" Emily gently asks.
"Three," he replies quietly gently rubbing the bump.
"Who's the lucky wolf?" She continues.
Aesop's expression turns dark at the thought of the alpha. "Moonlight Gentleman."
A loud clatter of a chair falling shatters the silence as Demi stands outraged and stomps out the room. At the sound of the door slamming shut, Aesop quietly asks, eyes wide in concern, "What happened to her? The bandage around her neck."
"I found her on the floor of her tavern bleeding out to death from a deep cut to her throat. Thankfully, I arrived with just enough time to save her. Unfortunately, the cut managed to damage her voice box rendering her mute, " Emily replies with a sigh remembering the gruesome scene of her friend lying in a pool of her blood.
"Who did this to her?" Aesop asks, anger in his voice.
Emily takes out a piece of paper from her coats pocket and hands it over to him which Aesop notices have some words written in not-so-elegant writing, the writer clearly frustrated and upset.
'Those damn blasted nobles and that fucking Moonlight Cunt'."
Aesop's heart grew heavy with anger and sadness. Once again someone is hurt in the hands of the person he loves. But why can't he stop loving him? Why can't these feelings just disappear?
"Enough about that. Are you planning to return to the village?"
"I can't," Aesop frowns a sinking feeling in his heart as tears start pooling in his eyes threatening to fall. "It's burnt to the ground."
Emily falls into silence, the air turning tense and heavy as she continues treating him in the silence. She places a splint on his broken elbow and wraps it in a clean bandage. All of a sudden, a sigh escapes Emily's lips as her expression turns dark.
"I can perform an abortion."
"What?" Aesop's eyes widen in horror.
"Remove the pup inside you. Obviously enough, you weren't in consent of the pup in the first place. I can help remove it for you."
"N-no! P-please it's fine. I-I..." He stares at his bump, the little pup growing inside it. He gazes into Emily's eyes with steely determination.
"I want it."
Emily merely stares back, eyes holding a bit of surprise, and a small smile blooms on her face, knowing very well she won't have to bear with the pain of another innocent pup dying by her hands. "If you say so. What are you going to do now?" She asks. "You have nowhere to go."
Aesop looks down at his bump, knowing very well of his troubles. He can't go anywhere. He can't go home nor can he go back to face the alpha. Staying in the streets will just get him and his pup hurt or dead. He buries his head in his hands, what is he going to do now?
A cough interrupts them. The two pairs of eyes train onto the omega fidgeting at the doorway.
"I can help," he states, determination in his eyes.
"What do you mean, Norton?"
"I can bring him to my village. No one would suspect anything."
Aesop's eyes light up in joy, "Really?"
The omega, Norton, smiles at him and nods. "We'll leave right now if you're okay with that?"
"It' f-fine! Thank you so much!"
Aesop smiles. They'll be free.
Right?
"What?"
Joseph drops the pen he was holding, ink splattering across the blueprints of the new village.
"He's gone! I checked on him for breakfast and he's gone!" Mike splurts out, panic in his voice.
No, no! All those times he neglected visiting. All those times he backed away for the room that smelt of yellow roses and cinnamon all because of fear. Fear of rejection.
Joseph runs out of his study and up the staircase to the third floor. Reaching the room, he shoves the door to the omega's room open. It's empty.
All those times he could've just mustered up the courage. All those times he could've just faced rejection. All those times he could've been braver.
Joseph runs to the opened window, a snapped makeshift rope out of sheets hanging out the window. Shit! Did he fall? He looks out breathing out in relief as he sees no traces of blood on the green grass. His omega is fine. His omega is fine. His omega is fine.
Joseph turns to Mike. "Quick! Get the police. Find him!" The said omega scrambles out of the room, screaming for the butler.
Now he's gone...
"Please..." Joseph clutches the torn off rope of sheets. Taking in of whatever is left of the yellow roses and cinnamon embedded in the tangle of sheets. He closes his eyes, all he wanted to do was surprise the omega, to tell him the rest of his pack is safe. To tell him they're waiting for him. To tell him his planning to build them a new village, one where they can live together with no worries. He never meant for it to be this way. He never meant to hurt him even more. Joseph's eyes fill with tears as he buries his face into the sheets.
"I need him."
Notes ~
Aesop's great escape yeet
Also who thought I killed Demi, I love her too much tbh